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Caracus Smash Ltd
Caracus Smash Ltd *'Location':Galen Junction, Kent, England. *'Owner: '''Caracus Smash *'Constructed': 1971 *'Status': Open '''Caracus Smash Ltd' is a company owned by Mr Caracus Smash , and is currently located at Galen Junction, Kent, and is connected to the Dark Railway. The business was previously located in Saxonhurst, Kent, before Mr Smash relocated to the DR. Saxonhurst Site History The yard which eventually became Caracus Smash Ltd was originally constructed by the Southern Railway during the war, for use as a storage yard for damaged rolling stock. After the war, the Southern Railway auctioned off the yard, with Mr Smash (who was interested in setting up his own business) winning the auction. He continued scrapping rolling stock, usually under contract from the Southern, and later, British Railways. By the late 1950's, Mr Smash had begun a program of restoring rolling stock for future use, as he was an avid steam enthusiast. By the late 1960's, many locomotives saved by the yard had been sold on, or were being restored to working order. In 1969, Mr. Smash made the decision to have the yard refurbished to become a fully functioning locomotive restoration facility, with the work being completed over the course of a few months. After this, the yard became the main repair facility for the locomotives of the Dark Railway, with several engines being sent for overhauls and general repairs. In 1971, Mr Smash decided to move his business to Galen Junction, on the Dark Railway. In preparation for this, he completed his contracted work at the original site, and began moving all of his property off the site and onwards to the new facility on the Dark Railway. Once this was done, hesold the land to a developer, who wished to build housing on the site, with the entire yard being redeveloped later in 1971. Galen Junction Site History Mr Smash had long desired to move his business somewhere else, due to the isolated location of his old yard. After a fire devastated the old MPD at Galen Junction in 1969, Mr Dark, Mr Smash and Mr Chairman decided to regenerate the site, with Mr Dark leasing some of the land to Mr Smash so as to build an entirely new and modern facility for his company. The new facility was completed in 1971. The new Caracus Smash Ltd is located on reclaimed land at the junction, with a much larger undercover workshop being built to accommodate repairs and overhauls for steam and diesel engines alike, therefore becoming the Dark Railway's main works (after Gothland Works closed some years previously). A year following their arrival, the works site acquired a new works shunter in the form of English Electric battery electric shunter No. 909 ("Buzz"), who was obtained from the Dark Railway Preservation Society in exchange for the previous works shunter, 04 diesel shunter No. D2217 "Mr. B". Layout and Facilities The yard in Saxonhurst was rather small but compact, with an extensive yard for storing rolling stock purchased by the company. The new facility at Galen Junction has two large workshops, offices, storage buildings and a shed and charging station for the works shunter, Buzz. Appearances The Dark Railway Series Saxonhurst Site Episodes: *Series 5 - Repulse, Time Waits for No One (mentioned) and Time Waits for No One, Part 2 (mentioned) *Series 6 - Trepid (mentioned), Plunk 'n Bang (mentioned), The Prime Time of your Life (mentioned) and Apply Overnight *Series 7 - Smashing! (mentioned), Ey Up? (mentioned), Mothership Reconnection (mentioned) and What a Clarence! (mentioned) Galen Junction Site Episodes: *Series 7 - Mothership Reconnection (mentioned), Rollerskate Disco (mentioned), What a Clarence! and The Man in Overalls (mentioned) *Series 8 - Revolution 909, Colossus and Outro *Series 9 - 9 Specials: *Mere Anarchy Trivia *The set used for the original Caracus Smash Ltd. was custom made by Dark DJ himself. The set was also used to represent Barry Scrapyard in the first episode of Gary the Steam Engine, A Great Problem F***s Off. *Since 1971, Caracus Smash Ltd has been relocated to a much larger facility at Galen Junction, and the original site at Saxonhurst has been sold off to developers. Category:Locations